List of former Texas state parks

Transcription

(music) >> DANG, IT'S LIKE FIVE OR SIX OF THEM. IF YOU LOOK RIGHT THERE, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE IT. >> ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF HOUSTON IS A SPECIAL PLACE WHERE A CONNECTION TO NATURE CAN BEGIN AND GROW. IT'S AN OASIS OF WATER AND WOODS, AMIDST THE URBAN LANDSCAPE. (traffic) (music) >> WE ARE SURROUNDED BY DEVELOPMENT. ALL THE WAY AROUND, WE'VE GOT INDUSTRY, WE'VE GOT URBANIZATION, WE'VE GOT THE SKYLINE OF DOWNTOWN HOUSTON. >> SEE, THERE'S A BIG CRAWFISH CHIMNEY OUT THERE. BUT THEN, WE'VE GOT THE PARK. (girl kisses fish) (student shrieks) >> WE'VE GOT THE PRAIRIE AREA. WE'VE GOT THE RESERVOIR. WE'VE GOT THE WOODED AREA OF THE LEARNING CENTER. WHAT IS HERE IS ITS OWN LITTLE ISLAND. >> JUST 15 MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN, AND WITH MORE THAN 2,700 ACRES OF LAKE, PONDS, WETLANDS, WOODLANDS AND PRAIRIE... >> WE'RE GOING TO GO A HALF MILE... >> IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS OF THE STATE'S LARGEST CITY TO EXPLORE FIRST-HAND THE FLORA AND FAUNA OF TEXAS. >> AWWWW. >> ...AND LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE STEWARDSHIP OF TEXAS' WILD PLACES... >> IT WAS RIGHT THERE, RIGHT? >> AND WILD THINGS. >> YEA, DO YOU THINK THIS IS HIM? YOU ARE VERY CORRECT. AND WHAT IS THIS ONE? >> TADPOLE. >> IT'S A TADPOLE. OK, WHAT DO TADPOLES BECOME? >> FROGS. >> FROGS. >> THAT IS SO COOL. >> I LIKE ALLIGATORS. >> SEE, IT'S AN ALLIGATOR. >> WHERE? >> SHH, OVER THERE. YOU'RE GOING TO SCARE IT. (music) >> IF YOU'RE AN INVERTABRATE, IT MEANS YOU DON'T HAVE A BACKBONE. >> HERE IT IS, HERE IT IS. >> MY KID CAME ON A FIELD TRIP AND THEY SAID THEY WOULDN'T LEAVE ME ALONE. WE HAD TO COME AND SEE WHAT THIS WAS ABOUT. (music) YOU CAN DO ALMOST EVERY KIND OF RECREATION. YOU CAN TAKE NATURE HIKES. YOU CAN DO BIRDING, BOATING, FISHING, KAYAKING, AND CANOEING. IT'S A LEARNING CENTERED ENVIRONMENT AND YOU CANNOT LEAVE THIS PLACE WITHOUT TAKING SOMETHING WITH YOU. >> THERE'S WHAT? >> THE ALLIGATOR. >> WHERE'S THE ALLIGATOR? >> OVER THERE. >> YOU TEACH THE CHILD, THE CHILD TEACHES THE PARENT. AND THAT IS HOW YOU REACH THE NEXT GENERATION. BECAUSE WHEN YOU REACH THE CHILD, THEY WILL GROW UP AND TEACH THEIR CHILDREN. AND THAT IS REALLY THE ONLY WAY STEWARDSHIP HAPPENS AND HOW THE GREEN SPACES ARE GOING TO BE CONSERVED.